Unique and inspiring: The rarest luxury watches on today’s market

Nothing says discernment quite like a luxury watch. It’s the ultimate expression of individual style. For many connoisseurs the pursuit of timekeeping excellence quickly becomes an all-consuming passion. Buying a Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Cartier, Jaeger LeCoultre or Lange & Sohne is a statement as well as an investment.

There are some timepieces, though, that are so distinguished, so rare and so unique that few will ever be lucky enough to come into contact with them. So the David Duggan team has decided to celebrate three of horology’s most astounding and unmatched creations – for all those enthusiasts out there who love to dream that little bit more…

Patek Philippe: Henry Graves Jr. Supercomplication

Selling for a cool US$11M in 1999, this has to be our favourite when it comes to aspirational timepieces. It was commissioned in 1933 by its millionaire namesake and is widely acknowledged as one of the most historically significant – not to mention complex – watches the world has ever seen.

Crafted from 18 carat gold, this beautiful specimen boasts over 900 parts, 24 complications and uniquely innovative features including sidereal time, a perpetual calendar and a celestial chart. Weighing in at over 1lb, this is a true masterpiece in uncompromising horology of the kind only Patek Philippe can really command.

Jaeger LeCoultre: Gyrotourbillon 1

On the modern end of the scale, this high-end creation from Jaeger LeCoultre is principally defined by its gravity defying tourbillon that rotates on not one axis, but two – delivering not only ultimate performance but an aesthetically pleasing action to boot.

Not content with that, these distinguished makers have added an equation of time function, perpetual calendar, month indicators, leap year indicator and retrograde power reserve – all served up within a breathtakingly stylish yet pleasingly understated design. Such is the complexity of this piece that there are only around 75 out there worldwide – but weighing in at around US$400K it’s not beyond the realms of possibility to become the proud owner of one of these.

Rolex: 1942 Chronograph

Arguably the most prolific luxury maker of them all, Rolex offered only 12 of these timepieces to the luxury market in 1942 and they have become exponentially more desirable ever since. This split-second chronograph achieved its highest value at auction when one lucky bidder parted with more than US$1.1M. No doubt they were compelled not only by its quiet sophistication, but also by functionality including a blue telemeter, outer minute divisions, black tachymeter scales, two subsidiary dials for constant seconds and a 30-minute register – all wrapped up in a nickel finish with pink gold numerals and a total of 17 jewels.

These are some of our personal favourites at David Duggan – but we also carry a fabulous range of luxury watches that won’t set you back by as much as a million. Browse our collections online, or visit our Mayfair showroom for advice on choosing the perfect watch from a team with more than 150 years’ combined experience.